NCT04059822

Slow and Deep Breathing to Lower Blood Pressure in Women With Pregnancy-induced Hypertension

Effects of Slow and Deep Breathing on Reducing Obstetric Intervention in Women With Pregnancy-induced Hypertension:A Feasibility Study

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 1 (actual)
• Sponsor: Bournemouth University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study evaluates the effect of slow and deep breathing on lowering blood pressure in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Slow and deep breathing will be practised daily for 10 minutes from enrolment until the woman gives birth. This feasibility study aims to investigate the practicality of conducting a proposed future randomised controlled trial.

Detailed description

In addition to the slow and deep breathing intervention the women will undertake a short protocol investigating the physiological responses to slow and deep breathing during their initial meeting. The women will undertake 4 separate 5-min breathing exercises with a 5 minute rest period between each exercise. The breathing exercises are normal breathing, and fixed breathing frequencies of 4, 6 and 8 breaths per minute. Blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate will be monitored continuously, and non-invasively, throughout each breathing protocol. The women will also have the opportunity to provide feedback on the intervention and their experiences in an online survey at 36 weeks gestation.

Conditions

• Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Slow and deep breathing	Please see arm description

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-01-14
• Primary completion: 2023-04-28
• Completion: 2023-04-28
• First posted: 2019-08-16
• Last updated: 2025-09-19

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United Kingdom